Helping the next generation generate what’s next
Yes, it’s another “Personal News” on Medium post
In September of 1996, I entered Pace University with a lot of questions in my mind about the future. I was the first in my immediate family to go to college, and the commute to Pace’s Lower Manhattan campus was about as far as I’d really strayed on a regular basis from Staten Island, where I grew up. I was a commuter student, and time on campus was always extremely valuable.
One thing I found a lot of was opportunity. In class, with the professors, follow students, Pace was a welcoming and warm environment for a goofy kid to help chart his way forward.
Economically, Pace gave me opportunities that I would have never had otherwise. By my last semester at Pace in the spring of 2000, I was already working full-time during the day at About.com as an HTML Producer and finishing up night classes to finish my degree in Information Systems, with a Concentration in Computer Science at Pace’s Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems. In that first job, I made more than my father had in his entire life to that point — it was a humbling stat that made me realize just how lucky I was to get a chance at a quality college education.
It became pretty obvious to me, both in the classroom and out, that mentorship is a important part of professional development. I’ve been lucky to have great mentors in my career at About.com, JetBlue Airways, Viacom, AOL and, yes, About.com again, but when I left Pace, one of the biggest things I wish there had been a bit more of was interaction and connection with the larger technology community in New York City.
Since the year 2000, the technology ecosystem in New York City has grown substantially, and the chances for technology jobs continue to be exceptional. I believe that today is there is a real chance for Seidenberg to be a big part in the new world order.
A few years after graduation, I was given the opportunity to re-engage with the Pace community when I was named the Seidenberg School’s first Tech Mentor-In-Residence in 2011. I’ve had the extreme pleasure of getting to know some of Seidenberg’s best and brightest students through talks, and events like Pace Path Live, which allows Seidenberg students to connect with technology and media professionals to learn what it’s like to work in the field in New York City, Westchester County and beyond.
I’m excited to take the next step. Today, I’m proud to share the news, that I’ve been asked to join the Seidenberg School’s Advisory Board, and that I’ve accepted that charge.
The goal of the board is simple — to help define the future plans of the Seidenberg School, its students, the curriculum, and to be active participants on behalf of the school in the larger technology community. I’m excited by this chance, and look forward to doing my best to help raise awareness of my alma mater.
I want to thank Dr. Jonathan Hill, the new Dean of the Seidenberg School for the opportunity to join the board, and the other advisory board members, who have themselves built executive and C-level careers at companies including Hearst, Bank of New York Mellon, Verizon and XL Group, for graciously accepting me to be a part of the team. I look forward to working with him, and them, to help shape the future of Seidenberg — which will continue to take grow its place at the forefront of Technology education in the Tri-State Area.
I look forward to the opportunity to help give back to Seidenberg’s next generation, the star students who will work harder, learn quicker, and give companies more than they ever could have expected.
Here’s to what’s next.
To learn about Seidenberg, read about its history and mission statement. If you’re interested in being part of the way forward, let’s connect on LinkedIn! Want to learn how I make a PB&J and a bunch of other random stuff about me? Here’s an interview on the Seidenberg blog.
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